U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,335, discloses a multi-contact connector housing having a mating side and a conductor receiving side which is provided with rows of electrical contact terminals to which are terminated wires of a multi-conductor cable. The connector includes a removable cover which includes grooves extending axially along the internal sides, the grooves conforming to the rows of contact terminals having the wires terminated thereto. The cover is applied to the connector housing by aligning the grooves with the rows of terminals and sliding the cover grooves axially over the rows of terminals. The cover conforms to the rows of terminals, thereby retaining the conductors in electrical connection with the terminals. The semi-circular cable support is integral with one end of the cover. A cable jacket containing the terminated conductors is impinged against the cable support and is secured thereto by an encircling strap type cable clamp. A semi-circular shim is inserted under the clamp so that the shim and cable support cooperate to encircle and to grip the cable under the clamp. The strap is anchored by a threaded fastener passing through one end of the cover.
The mating side of the connector can be a plug configuration or a receptacle configuration. The mating side of the connector is separated from the conductor receiving side by an integral flange completely encircling the connector. A plug and a receptacle are intermated and locked together with threaded fasteners passing through the flanges. One fastener also passes through a flange on one end of each cover, opposite the end provided with the cable clamp. Securing two intermated housings together requires loose piece fasteners and assembly tools.